Suction mount

ABSTRACT

A suction mounting means is provided having a housing adapted for effectively providing a three point suspension of a utility device which is supported thereon. The housing includes a mounting surface having extending shoulders which engage channels on a base member of the utility device and an upstanding window which engages a tab member on the base of the utility device. The housing is mechanically coupled to a flexible holding member and means are provided for deforming the member in order to establish vacuum holding forces between the deformable member and a surface upon which it is positioned. With this arrangement, the forces which are applied to the mount are distributed in a relatively uniform manner and the holding characteristics of the vacuum mount are enhanced.

United States Patent [191 Harrison Oct. 16, 1973 SUCTION MOUNT [75] Inventor: Larry Harrison, Clifton Springs,

[21] Appl. No.: 144,934

[52] US. Cl 248/363, 248/225, 248/310 [51] Int. Cl. F16b 47/00 [58] Field of Search 248/362, 117.6, 350,

248/154, 187, 224, 206 R, 363, 310, 311, 313, 316 D, 316 C, 225, 467

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,634,076 4/1953 Van Dusen 248/206 R 1,720,309 7/1929 Wakefield 248/224 X 6/1964 Great Britain 248/206 R 1,223,738 3/1971 Great Britain 248/225 Primary ExaminerEdward C. Allen Attorney-James J. Ralabate, William Kaufman and Barry Kramer 5 7] ABSTRACT A suction mounting means is provided having a housing adapted for effectively providing a three point suspension of a utility device which is supported thereon. The housing includes a mounting surface having extending shoulders which engage channels on a base member of the utility device and an upstanding window which engages a tab member on the base of the utility device. The housing is mechanically coupled to a flexible holding member and means are provided for deforming the member in order to establish vacuum holding forces between the deformable member and a surface upon which it is positioned. With this arrangement, the forces which are applied to the mount are distributed in a relatively uniform manner and the holding characteristics of the vacuum mount are enhanced.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures SUCTION MOUNT This invention relates to portable mounting arrangements. The invention relates more particularly to a demountable suction device adapted for mounting different utility devices.

Suction mounting arrangements are known for providing ready mounting and demounting of a device on a flat surface. One such mounting arrangement comprises a flexible member which is mounted in contact with a flat surface and is deformable in order to vary the volume of an air space confined by the member and a flat support surface. A pressure differential is thereby established between the atmosphere and the confined space for securing the mounting means and the device which it supports to the flat surface. In various practices it is necessary to provide a readily demountable support for a plurality of different portable utility devices. Although the suction mounting arrangement referred to would impart portability to each of the utility devices, the provision of a seperate mounting arrangement for each device is relatively costly.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to pro vide a single mounting arrangement adapted to mount each of a plurality of different utility'devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved suction mounting means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single suction mounting means which is adapted for mounting different utility devices to a flat surface.

The use of a single suction mounting means which is adapted for mounting different utility devices to a flat surface results in the application to the mount of forces of varying magnitude and direction depending on the nature of the utility device and the function it performs. These forces tend to unseat the flexible member from the flat surface. The unseating effect is particularly pronounced when the utility device exhibits a significant vibration such as may be provided by a mechanical demonstration vibrator.

It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a suction mounting means adapted for mounting different utility devices which apply different forces to the mount.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suction mounting means'having a universal mounting arrangement adapted for receiving and mounting different utility devices and for distributing the force exerted on the mount by the utility device in a manner for reducing the unseating effect of the forces.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, a suction mounting means is provided having a housing adapted for effectively providing a three point suspension of a utility device which is supported thereon. The housing includes a mounting surface having extending shoulders which engage channels on a base member of the utility device and an upstanding window which engages a tab member on the base of the utility device. The housing is mechanically coupled to a flexible holding member and means are provided for deforming the member in order to establish vacuum holding forces between the deformable member and a surface upon which it is positioned. With this arrangement, the forces which are applied to the mount are distributed in a relatively uniform manner and the holding characteristics of the vacuum mount are enhanced.

In accordance with more particular features of the invention, the deformable body comprises a body formed of a molded elastomer and is adapted for providing an air seal near its periphery with a support surface when centrally deformed. The body includes a centrally located pocket for captivating an upstanding insert. The housing is positioned about the body and an insert guide depends from the surface of the housing for engaging and guiding the motion of the insert. A rotable lever arm extends through sidewalls of the housing and through an aperture formed in the insert. The lever arm includes an eccentric segment which is located in the insert aperture and rotation of the lever arm thereof forces the guide to move in' a vertical direction causing suction forces to be developed between the deformable body and the surface on which it is positioned.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following specifications and to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vacuum mounting arrangement constructed in accordance with features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the mounting arrangement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mounting arrangement of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 and illustrating the position of members of the mount when the suction force is released;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to the sectional view 4-4 of FIG. 4 illustrating the position of members of the mount when the suction force is established;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a utility device mounted on the suction mounting means of this invention; and,

FIG. 9 is a sectional'view taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8 and illustrating the mounting suspension of the utility device on the suction mounting means.

Referring now to the drawings, the suction mount is shown to comprise a housing 10, a flexible body member 12 and means mechanically intercoupling the housing and body member 12 for causing the establishment ofa suction force between the flexible body member 12 and a surface upon which it is positioned. The housing 10 is molded of a plastic such as polystyrene and includes means for mounting and securing a utility device thereto. The housing 10 includes an integrally molded upper surface 14 having shoulder segments 16 and 18 which overhang sidewall segments 20 and 22 respectively. These overhanging shoulder segments engage channels formed in a base member of a utility device which is tobe secured to the suction mount. One such utility device is described hereafter. The housing 10 further includes an integrally molded upstanding forward wall which includes a portion 26 extending above the level of the surface 14. This upstanding wall is of hollow construction and includes two parallel aligned wall segments 28 and 30 each having oppositely positioned windows 32 and 34 respectively formed therein and extending above the level of the surface 14. These windows are adapted to receive a tab mounting segment of a base member of a utility device.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a utility device 35 employed with the suction mount. The utility device 35 shown comprises a reaction testing device of the type described and claimed in a eopending U. S. Patent Application Ser. No. 144,938 entitled Reaction Time Testing Apparatus, filed by Larry Harrison, Robert Van- Valkinburgh, and Robert Kalvitis which is filed concurrently herewith on May 19, 1971 and which is assigned to the assignee of this invention. The disclosure of this copending application is incorporated herein by reference. The utility device 35 includes a mounting base 36 having channels 37 and 38 formed therein which slideably engage the shoulder segments 16 and 18 respectively of the surface 14. The base 36 of the utility device includes a tab 38 which extends through the windows 32 and 34 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8. The tab 38 includes a forward tapered segment 40 having a reentrant wall 42 (FIG. 6) which abuts against that upper forward surface of the wall 30 which frames the window 34 and inhibits withdrawal of the tab from the windows and thus secures the utility device in its mounted position. The thickness of the tapered segment is slightly less than the height of the window 34. The relatively larger diminsions of the windows 32 and 34 therefore permits flexure of the tab segment 38 when a downward force is exerted on the tapered segment as viewed in FIG. 6. By applying this vertical downward force while simultaneously withdrawing the device, the tapered segment can be withdrawn through the windows 32 and 34 and the device dismounted.

A utility device which is mounted in this manner is effectively provided with a three point suspension, the suspension comprising the support provided at the shoulders 16 and 18 of the surface 14 along with the window supporting and locking means described hereinbefore. The suction mounting arrangement of this invention is mounted to a surface by virtue of a pressure differential existing between atmospheric pressure and the pressure within a space defined by the mounting surface and the resilient body 12. The effective three point mounting arrangement described is particularly advantageous in that forces which are applied to the suction mount in a horizontal plane for example and which tend to reduce or break the pressure differential are distributed in a manner over the suction mount in a manner for reducing the tendency to break the pressure seal.

The flexible body member 12 which grips a flat surface 50 by virtue of a pressure differential has a slightly concave central surface portion. The body 12 includes a centrally located pocket which is integrally molded into this body for captivating an insert 54. The insert 54 includes shoulder segments 56 which extend into and are captivated by the pocket. Integral strengthening rib members 58 are formed in the upper surface of the flexible body 12 and a ridge 60 is integrally formed on each side of the upper surface of the body 12 near its periphery for locating the body 12 with respect to the sidewalls of the housing 10. The body 12 is formed of a molded elastomer such as styrene-buta diene or butyl rubber. A preferred material is a synthetic material sold under the name of Draton and available from Sharp Shell Oil Company. I have found that this material provides relatively good suction holding characteristics.

The housing is mechanically coupled to the body 12 and the body 12 is forced against the level surface by forces applied by a manually operated lever arm 62 which extends through plastic bearings 64 and 66 in the sidewalls 22 and 20 respectively. The lever arm which includes a handle segment 68 press fitted to the arm, is secured in place in the housing by C rings 70 and 72. A guide 74 is integrally molded in the housing and depends from a lower surface of the housing within the housing. The guide 74 includes apertures 76 and 78 formed in the wall segments thereof which align with a slot 80 formed in an upstanding segment of the insert 54. An eccentric segment 82 of the lever arm 62 extends through the apertures of the guide 74 and the slot 80 of the insert 54. Rotation of the lever arm 64 about the bearings simultaneously forces the wall segments 20 and 22 of the housing 10 against the flexible body 12 and raises the insert 54 within the guide 74. A pressure differential is thereby established between the upper surface of a flexible body and that volume of space confined by the flexible body 12 and the surface 50. A mounting force is thereby established which secures the suction mount to the surface 50.

Thus there has been described an improved suction mounting arrangement which advantageously provides a universal mount for different utility devices, an improved arrangement for mounting these devices which advantageously distributes forces applied by these devices to the mounting arrangement and an improved mechanism for establishing suction mounting forces.

While there have been described particular features and embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A universal mount for a utility device comprising:

a utility device having a first pair of elongated parallel extending mounting members adapted for engaging mounting members on a suction mount and a deflectable extending tab member;

a suction mount having a housing, said housing including a support surface having a second pair of elongated parallel extending mounting members adapted for engaging said first pair of mounting members of said utility device, said first pair of mounting members being formed as parallel extending channels supported from a planar surface and said second pair of mounting members including shoulder segments formed on said support surface, said housing including an upstanding wall portion extending in a direction generally normal to the direction of said second pair of elongated parallel mounting members, said wall having a rigid window segment thereof through which said tab member extends, said tab including a reentrant surface which is positioned on said tab for engaging an edge segment of a surface of said window.

2. The universal mount of claim 1 wherein said first and second pairs of mounting members are arranged for sliding engagement and said tab is formed on and extends from a forward surface of said utility device and extends through said window upon engagement of said first and second pairs of mounting members.

3. The universal mount of claim 1 wherein said first pair of mounting members are integrally formed with said utility device and said second pair of mounting members are integrally formed with said support surface.

said housing including a surface having parallel extending guide segments for engaging mounting channels which are formed on a utility device; and, an upstanding wall portion formed in said housing and extending in a direction generally normal to the direction of said parallel extending guide segments, said wall having a rigid window segment thereof for engaging and locking a reentrant segment of a deflectable tab member of a utility device which is adapted for mounting thereto.

* =l II 

1. A universal mount for a utility device comprising: a utility device having a first pair of elongated parallel extending mounting members adapted for engaging mounting members on a suction mount and a deflectable extending tab member; a suction mount having a housing, said housing including a support surface having a second pair of elongated parallel extending mounting members adapted for engaging said first pair of mounting members of said utility device, said first pair of mounting members being formed as parallel extending channels supported from a planar surface and said second pair of mounting members including shoulder segments formed on said support surface, said housing including an upstanding wall portion extending in a direction generally normal to the direction of said second pair of elongated parallel mounting members, said wall having a rigid window segment thereof through which said tab member extends, said tab including a reentrant surface which is positioned on said tab for engaging an edge segment of a surface of said window.
 2. The universal mount of claim 1 wherein said first and second pairs of mounting members are arranged for sliding engagement and said tab is formed on and extends from a forward surface of said utility device and extends through said window upon engagement of said first and second pairs of mounting members.
 3. The universal mount of claim 1 wherein said first pair of mounting members are integrally formed with said utility device and said second pair of mounting members are integrally formed with said support surface.
 4. A support body for receiving and mounting a utility device comprising: a housing open at a lower surface thereof; a flexible thin sheet of material forming a closure for a lower surface of said housing; an insert body mounted to said sheet; a restraining segment extending from a lower inner surface of said housing and engaging said insert body for restraining lateral motion of the insert; a lever arm mounted to said housing and having an eccentrically formed segment for transmitting a force through said insert to said sheet; said housing including a surface having parallel extending guide segments for engaging mounting channels which are formed on a utility device; and, an upstanding wall portion formed in said housing and extending in a direction generally normal to the direction of said parallel extending guide segments, said wall having a rigid window segment thereof for engaging and locking a reentrant segment of a deflectable tab member of a utility device which is adapted for mountIng thereto. 